Site Configuration Questions

The flowchart in Figure 1.6, lists the questions that determine what type of SMS site to install, and the issues to consider for each type.

Figure 1.6 Site configuration questions - choosing a site

Based on your answers to the questions listed in Part 1, you determine the number of SMS sites and their configuration. You then decide whether the SMS site is a primary site or a secondary site. The resources listed in Resources 1 help you to make this determination.

The topmost SMS site in your SMS hierarchy is the central site. The SMS central site is always an SMS primary site. There are issues for you to consider that are specific to the SMS central site. The SMS site database at the central site stores aggregate inventory and software metering data and status from the SMS hierarchy, and collects details about any collections, packages, or advertisements created at the central site. At the central site, you can view and manage all sites and computers in the SMS hierarchy. Because all status and client data flows up in the hierarchy to the central site, adding a large number of clients to this site can diminish central site server performance and client performance. Consequently, especially in large organizations, the central site should not manage clients.

The SMS central site generally maintains the server locator point for the SMS hierarchy. Because the SMS central site database contains data from other SMS sites below it in the SMS hierarchy, you might install the reporting point site system on the central site server.

Each primary site you deploy, including the central site, uses a site database to hold the data collected from the site. Management points, server locator points, and reporting points also use the SMS site database. See the "Getting Started" chapter in the Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide for a complete list of requirements for the SMS site database.

On the Windows Server 2003 family of servers, the following components used by certain SMS 2003 site systems are not enabled by default:

• Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

• Internet Information Services (IIS)

• Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) extensions for IIS

• Active Server Pages (ASP)

If you are deploying SMS 2003 site systems to Windows Server 2003 servers, you must enable the appropriate component for the appropriate SMS site system. Table 1.3 describes which of these components you must enable for each SMS site system.

Table 1.3 Windows Server 2003 Components to Enable for SMS 2003 Site Systems

For a primary site and a secondary site, you need to decide which security mode to run: advanced security or standard security. Advanced security is the preferred mode because it takes advantage of local system and computer accounts that are automatically maintained by the operating system. For example, SMS runs its server components in the local system security context, or using the computer account instead of a user account. Also, SMS parent and child site servers running advanced security can use each other's computer account to send information to back and forth. Standard security requires more user accounts to manage the same processes.

If the SMS site is managing clients, there are client-specific issues to consider when choosing the appropriate security mode. For example, if you plan to use Legacy Clients in your advanced security SMS site, you must create at least one SMS Client Connection Account before installing the Legacy Clients. Advanced Clients might require the Advanced Client Network Access Account when an advertised program needs to access a share on a server other than the distribution point or when the distribution point or content server is in a Windows NT 4.0 domain or in another forest.

Resources 10

Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide

For detailed information about the role of a primary site and the central site, and considerations for configuring site systems for the central site:

Resources 11

Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide

For detailed information about the SMS site database, and considerations for planning for and configuring the SMS site database:

Resources 12

Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide

For detailed information about Advanced and Standard security, and the affect each mode has on the SMS site and SMS clients:

For More Information

Did you find this information useful? Please send your suggestions and comments about the documentation to smsdocs@microsoft.com.